It’s been a long road to the pros for infielder and pitcher Matt Lloyd.

A household name in Okotoks and local from Calgary, the Dawgs Academy and Indiana University Hoosier product was selected in the 15th round (444th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in the Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday.

“It felt like a dream come true,” said the 23-year-old Lloyd.

“I was out with my teammates at a restaurant and I got a text saying ‘congrats’… I jumped on Twitter and saw my name show up through the feed and it hit me. The first thing I did was call my mom. She was ecstatic, crying on the phone and stuff like that and then I talked to my dad. My phone blew up with texts before I had a chance to talk to Allen (Cox) and talk about my year.”

Lloyd’s road to the MLB draft board was rooted right from home.

He progressed through the Dawgs Academy from the earliest age of bantam until the collegiate level for the Dawgs.

Lloyd is considered an anomaly as a Dawgs draftee because he started in the system at the age of 16, the youngest team in the academy, and ended up on the MLB draft board.

“With the connections they had, it allowed for the doors to be opened for me and take my game to the next level,” he said.

Dawgs Academy coach Allen Cox first came across the potential MLB-calibre player in 2011.

It was also Cox’s first year with the Dawgs.

Cox, a former JUCO Kentucky-Western player, coached Lloyd and followed him all the way up to the 18U level. A connection from his playing days set up Lloyd’s collegiate career in 2015.

His road to the NCAA ranks and the prominent Indiana University saw a major detour. Lloyd suffered an arm injury and was forced to rehab after Tommy John surgery.

After red-shirting his first season at Indiana, Lloyd played his part while at the prestigious Iowa-Western community college, suiting up for the Reivers as a red-shirt freshman in his only season there.

Lloyd, whose team finished fourth in the national playoff, was named All-Regional as both an infielder and pitcher, hitting .371 with nine home runs and 59 RBI. He dominated on the mound with a 7-0 record while posing a 2.78 ERA average, striking out 58 batters in 58 innings.

His first of many springboards, this stage early in his career was the foundation Lloyd used to up his game and improve his stock as an infielder and pitcher.

“Most schools passed on guys who were in his situation, but it was cool to see such a high-end school take a chance on him and bring him in,” Cox said.

Lloyd’s value kept rising throughout his final three years at Indiana University.

He cranked 17 home runs while racking up a team-high 59 RBI in his final season after not seeing his name show up on the draft board last year.

Cox credits Lloyd for having the mindset of a professional that carried him to the position he is in today.

“He learned to play against the best of the best here and he’d be the first to tell you that. His playing personality of being the ‘big-game’ player grew as the years went on, as he mentally and skill grew up,” said Cox.

“That’s the real reason he was such a talking point internally in our program and outside of it … It was his biggest asset. He’s always able to breakout in big games and that was evident throughout his career as a Dawg and everywhere else he went.”

Lloyd recalled his early roots to his never-ending work ethic that he learned from a young age during his time as a Dawgs prospect.

“I learnt to show up and work everyday. Me and Allen would hit literally every single day, but the biggest thing I took with me is that you’re never a finished product … you’re always chasing the next goal.”

Cox recalled the growth he saw in Lloyd as a player and as a person.

“The thing about Matt, is he’s a big-game guy,” said Cox.

“He could hit the ball the other way, no power when he was younger who we worked on that but he could always hit and field the ball. Pitching wise he became the ‘big-time pitchers’, it was the same thing.

“He’s always been the same guy even at the college level. He was always a professional even during summer ball and his play showed it. It’s why he was such a great representative of our program and what we’re trying to teach, the winning ways and hard work that he displayed.”

Lloyd becomes another staple for the Okotoks community and beefs up the Dawgs as a premier baseball organization, capable of producing major league hopefuls.

“It’s another thing that the Dawgs can use. I’m proud to be a Dawgs guy and I know there are guys right behind me, it’s an honour,” he said.

Cox notes that it’s great to have draftees like Lloyd be the new wave of Dawgs talent, but also says that no one should forget those who set the foundation.

“We forget about guys like Jim Henderson who broke the barrier for our program but as of late, to have a guy cement his legacy in our program, being a guy who was there since 16 like Matt, is something special,” said Cox.

Auckland, New Zealand native Ben Thompson was also scooped up in the draft.

Thompson, 21, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 28th round, 847th overall.

“I found out when my adviser called letting me know that there was a possibility that the Braves might take me soon. Then, I saw my name pop up on the draft tracker and shortly after that I got a call from the Braves scout I’ve been dealing with to let me know,” he said.

The Tulane university commit started one game for the Dawgs this season before he had to report back to school.

“Words can’t describe what I felt in that moment, one of the best moments in my life,” said Thompson.

He gave credit to the system that set him up to the position he is.

“The Dawgs have had a massive impact, they set me up with everything I needed in order to get drafted. Without the Dawgs, I honestly believe this wouldn’t be possible. All of the academy coaches have taught me so much and have turned me into the player I am today.”

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